


Means to an End

by honda_cvic



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Aelfric being Not Great, Balthus is barely in this so if that's why you're here I apologize, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Cindered Shadows DLC, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Cindered Shadows DLC Spoilers, Gen, Pre-Canon, ashen wolves, but only by like a few months
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:01:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22792159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honda_cvic/pseuds/honda_cvic
Summary: “Boss, there’s something you gotta tell me. Was Aelfric really just using us all that time?”“How should I know? I mean, he always acted that way around me— like we were means to an end.”Aelfric isn't Aelfric when he's alone with his bird of prey. Threats are made and tempers are lost.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 44





	Means to an End

They all envied him.

He could see it in their eyes, whenever Aelfric blessed Abyss with a visit, because everyone knew. Aelfric loved all his flock, but the Ashen Wolves were special to him, special in a way in which only a group of rescued misfits could be to their savior. And Yuri was the most special of all, the hand-picked leader of the underground class for two years running, Aelfric’s chosen protector of the ill-fortuned. And so the people of Abyss eyed Yuri with a brew of admiration and envy when he walked at Aelfric’s side, when they chatted to each other in low but relaxed voices, pausing their easy conversations to wave at residents who were politely but excitedly trying to get their attention. Even the other Ashen Wolves knew it; Yuri was the monk’s favorite, and that was alright, because Aelfric devoted himself to protecting his flock, and Yuri was clever and smart and capable enough to implement this sense of protection in a meaningful way down here. He was the shepherd's falcon, soaring above both the flock and the pack, keeping other predators at bay, and always coming back to land on the shepherd's shoulder.

Balthus, who seemed incapable of not expressing aloud every thought that passed through his head, even once commented on this favoritism directly. They’d been going through damaged weapons together, trying to parse out what was worth keeping. “Hey boss, do you know when Aelfric’ll be visiting next? I need a new pair of uniform pants, ripped them agai—”

“I don’t need the details,” Yuri quipped, not looking up. “And why would I know when he’s coming?” (He did.)

“‘Cause you’re his favorite, duh!” Balthus laughed, and Yuri didn’t change his face. “You’re practically his son!”

“What gave it away, the family resemblance?”

Balthus laughed again, and that was the end of it.

And Yuri tried not to think about it. Yuri was always thinking, he had to be, he was responsible for too many people’s well-beings not to be. And even though he thought about Aelfric’s comings and goings, and his plan’s progress, and who knew what and who needed to not know what, etc. etc., he tried not to think about Aelfric himself. (And even though he thought about how to best help his friends locked away on the very same man’s orders, he tried not to think about the friends themselves, imprisoned for collateral damage of a crest Yuri never asked for.)

Aelfric wasn’t scheduled for a visit. That’s why Yuri was surprised when he saw him in the reflection of the dirty vanity mirror Yuri was seated in front of while brushing his hair. His thoughts started racing: what was the reason for the surprise visit? Why didn’t the Abysskeeper notify him? Why didn’t his rogues? Yuri’s lilac eyes didn’t leave Aelfric’s reflection, and he flashed a smile, the toothy kind that didn’t reach his eyes, his specialty. “H—”

“I’m not here for games, Yuri,” the monk cut him off, stepping through the doorway. He was using the tone of voice especially reserved for _him_ , sharp and impatient, one that other Abyssians would never believe could come from the gentle shepherd.

Yuri still didn’t turn. “I’m afraid I don’t have much else to offer,” he smirked, and he went back to brushing his hair, but Aelfric had stepped further into the room and was suddenly right behind him. He grabbed Yuri’s wrist and Yuri’s whole arm bristled, and the survival instincts he’d honed as a kid on the streets told him to rip his wrist away and break the man’s arm, and the survival instincts he learned later in life around nobility told him to hold still, and so he found a compromise instead in his whole body tensing.

“I would like to know,” Aelfric started, low and deliberate, “why you visited with Rhea yesterday.”

“My going rate for wrist-grabbing is fifty gold per minute,” Yuri finally turned to look over his shoulder, flashing a venomous smile. “And watch your tone, it’s not cute.” Aelfric didn’t let go. Yuri’s smile didn’t fade. “Fine. You’ve been worried about the church’s clear dislike for you lately, have you not? One wrong step on your part and the church shuts down this whole operation down here. All the people you've helped, everything you’ve built… not to mention all the progress of your, _ahem,_ plan.” Something flashed in the monk’s eyes and Yuri knew he was in nearly in the clear. “So, I put on a little sob-show for the Archbishop about how _wonderful_ our reformed lives have been going down here. How we’re all changing for the better, yaddah-yaddah-yaddah.” He sighed, turning back to the mirror and tussling his hair with his free hand. “I was going to tell you next time I saw you, which I didn’t think was going to be for a couple days. It was going to be a surprise.”

Slowly, Aelfric released Yuri’s wrist, which had become slightly red. The monk looked thoughtful, thick brow furrowed. “I see. How very… forward-thinking of you.”

Yuri hummed, bringing the brush back up to comb through a tangle. “And now that you’ve ruined _that_ , was there anything else you needed while you’re here? We’re both busy people.”

“I couldn’t agree more. In fact, I’ve been busy up on the surface lately, as well. I spent some time speaking with a courier recently— they live the most fascinating lives.” Aelfric’s gentle voice wandered and Yuri tried to catch of a glimpse of where it could possibly be going. “Traveling all over Fodlan, just to keep people in touch with one another. It must be such a fulfilling line of work.”

“We’re both busy people,” Yuri repeated again, flashing another one of those all-teeth smiles in the mirror.

“I found out about your crest years ago, Yuri. Did you really think I wouldn’t find out about your mother eventually?”

Yuri felt his limbs go numb and his head start to buzz. He was standing and had spun on Aelfric before he knew it, and then Aelfric had a hand around Yuri’s wrist again, which had somehow raised above his head, like he was going to, what, strike the monk? Jeopardize everything he’d worked for, everything he’d been through, every careful, calculated move? The two stared at each other, like they both couldn’t believe what had just almost happened. And Aelfric’s face turned to one of… gods below, _pity_. And Yuri’s hand was guided back down, palm facing up, and they both stared down at it. They stared at the little scars that littered his palm, criss-crossed across his fingers. Twenty years worth of brushes with danger’s sharp lips.

Aelfric ran a thumb over the palm, eyes distant, and Yuri stood like a statue, cold and lifeless in its lifefullness. “You know why I have to do this, don’t you? It’s all for her,” he breathed. “All to see her smile again. I’d do anything for her. You know the feeling, it seems.”

“My mother,” Yuri started carefully, a world of rage held behind his words, “is still alive.”

Aelfric’s gaze finally rose to meet Yuri’s. “Then let’s make sure we keep it that way.” And he released Yuri’s hand, turned, and left the way he’d come.

Yuri waited a beat. Then two. Then he turned back to the mirror, sat back down, picked the brush back up, and stared back at himself as he brushed and brushed. And his mind (again) tried to rearrange the consequences, (again) rebalance the odds, and he put his face in his hands and screamed.

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by Yuri confirming to Balthus that, yeah, Aelfric's always been like _that,_ at least around Yuri. I was initially worried it would seem too out of character for Aelfric, but considering he drops lines like "Though, if I must, I will kill your mother in addition to your dear people," and "It would seem you want to be punished severely, Yuri." I ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> I really enjoyed the DLC and had fun writing this, will definitely be writing more stuff for the Ashen Wolves in the future. This is my first piece for Three Houses so I hope you enjoyed, thanks!


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